SALT LAKE CITY — All Utahns, no matter their age, who wish to receive a COVID-19 vaccine will no longer need a prescription to get one, according to guidance from state officials.
In a release Monday to clarify the use of the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine, the Utah Division of Professional Licensing said pharmacists in the state now have the authority to prescribe and administer the vaccine.
The move comes in accordance with the approved recommendations from the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
For the last several weeks, Utahns were required to have a prescription to receive the vaccine, as confusion has reigned in the state over who can receive a shot and who cannot.
Some pharmacies in Utah ordered vaccines late due to the uncertainty. In some cases, pharmacies decided not to order them at all.
"Some of the customers, they really become mad," said Dr. Kamran Khan, lead pharmacist at Olive Pharmacy in West Valley City. "This year I have not ordered anything because I wasn't sure... It has impacted our business."
While Monday's guidance is now in effect, it will expire when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approves, or does not approve, the ACIP product-specific recommendations for the current COVID-19 vaccine.
